Deep Scars
by golden perfection
Summary: Percy is Dead. Annabeth is in the hospital, on the verge of dying as well. Is Percy really dead? Rated T just in case...
1. Chapter 1

Poison. Oh gods, Percy hated poison.

Percy had put his arm out to stop Annabeth. "Your weak." the stranger said to her. "You think your strong but your not." Annabeth hit Percy's arm and charged at the stranger.

Percy had seen the knife that she didn't.

He stepped in front of Annabeth just as the stranger pulled out the knife.

As Percy collapsed backwards Annabeth went to the stranger and cut him with her dagger. Eventually he ran off, probably with his tail behind his legs.

Now Percy was laying on the ground, Annabeth, on her knees, stuffing Percy with ambrosia, and the stranger running away like a chicken with it's head cut off. Annabeth put her hand on Percy's wound as he said, "Annabeth stop. Ambrosia won't help. It's too late."

"Don't you dare say that, Perceus Jackson! Your not gonna die on me!" Annabeth pulled her hand to herself, covered. Covered in blood. Percy's blood.

"Keep Riptide for me. Tell my mom I love her and I ll miss her blue food. Tell Paul he better take care of my mom or I ll haunt him. Tell my dad I tried to be a good son. Tell Tyson he was the best brother anyone could ever have and give him my minotaur horn. Tell Thalia she s awesome. Tell Nico that even though he tried to kill me he s an awesome friend. Tell Grover he s like a brother. And tell everyone else I ll miss them. But tell Annabeth I love her so much and I m glad I took the knife for her." Annabeth smiled and kissed Percy s forehead. Then Chiron trotted over.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Some stranger attacked us. He stabbed Percy. Can you help him?" Annabeth looked at Chiron with tear stricken eyes.

"I'll try." Chiron soaked a rag in nectar and put it to Percy's wound. Percy shouted and gripped Annabeth's hand. Annabeth stroked his face and ran her fingers through his black and grey hair. She remembered all his stupid sayings, idiotic ideas, cute thoughts, adorable looks, and all his mistakes. She loved all his mistakes. "I'm sorry." Chiron said sorrowfully, rolling Percy onto his back.

"What?" Annabeth said.

"The poison's too strong, the wound is too deep. It's too late. I'm sorry."

"No. No. It can't be."

"Annabeth I'm so-"

"No! It's not too late! It can't be and it won't!" Chiron was shocked. Very shocked Annabeth had never yelled at Chiron that way. Chiron had known her since she was a mere child and she d never yelled at him. She had always agreed with him. Could Chiron really expect her to agree with him on the fact the Percy was going to die?

Annabeth looked at Percy. She picked his strand of grey hair out and twirled it in her fingers. She remembered that. She remembered the stupid look on his face as he tried to hold up the sky. He made her laugh even though she was in so much pain.

"Annabeth?" Percy asked.

"Yeah?" Annabeth sniffled and blinked her tears away.

"Give me a big hug." Annabeth did. "Kiss me". She did. His lips were cold and turning blue. "Now tell me that you love me."

"I-I love you."

"I love you too." he said, trying his hardest to stay awake.

"I'm sorry," Chiron whispered. "He will be missed." Annabeth sat on her knees, cried, and held Percy's hand as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

* * *

"Hey Thals." Nico said. No answer. "Hey Thals!" She had her headphones in. Nico popped one out and shouted, HEY THALS!

"WTF? Thalia shouted.

"Hi Thalia."

"Hi." Thalia said, wrapping her headphones around her i-Pod and stuck it into her pocket. She ran her fingers through her hair and stood up to walk with Nico. Surprisingly, they were the same height.

"Look I'm sorry for stealing your arrows yesterday." Nico said.

"It's okay."

"I gave you all of em, right?"

"Yeah. All twenty." Thalia answered. "Why?"

"I sat down on my bed and my butt got an unpleasant welcome. Instead of comfy, soft, goodness I felt sharp, pokey, badness." Thalia laughed.

"Well... I-uh. I really like you but since your in the huntresses I can't be with you so I thought maybe if you lost your arrows you'd have to quit...or something." Nico said, looking at his shoes.

"Look Nico I like you too. I do. I like you the way you like me, but Artemis would kill me and she would turn you into an antelope if she knew I was dating you."

"What would she do if we kissed?" Nico asked. "What would Artemis do?"

"Well if we kissed she would-" Thalia was shocked. Nico kissed her. She melted into it. Every stress she ever had melted away. Then she pulled away. She didn't want to, but she had to. She looked into Nico's eyes. "Probably kill us." Thalia said, pretending like nothing had happened."Wait, what-I-no. No no no. This isn't right. Nico you re my friend and I d hate to see you run through the forest as a jackalope. I'm a huntress. I've sworn myself and my loyalty to Artemis. I've sworn to stay away from boys, from Billie Joe Armstrong! I'm immortal."

"Sho? I'm like eighty but I look like I'm fourteen."

"Eww." Thalia shuttered.

"Well."

"Nico, I want you but I ca-" Nico kissed her again. She pulled away but their noses still touched. "I..."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N-It's short I know. Especially the Thalico part. Please R&R**

* * *

Annabeth helped Chiron as they rolled Percy's lifeless body onto his horse back. Annabeth stroked Percy's hair and walked in front of Chiron. They walked down the road that led to Half Blood Hill. "I can't believe it." Annabeth said. Her eyes were glued to her feet, which were kicking a rock. She couldn't look up, she couldn't look at Chiron, and she most certainly couldn't look towards the sun, as if the was some hope, like they always did in the movies. She couldn't even look at Percy. She did once and failed to choke back a sob. "I always thought that we'd always be- I don't know. Safe? Together? A-alive? Something. Oh gods, what do I tell Tyson. Or Sally, or his dad, or anyone? What do I say? What do I do? I'll just plan everything. His funeral, everything. I'll drive to Sally's house and tell her. . ." Annabeth trailed off.

"If doing everything makes you feel better then. . . alright." Chiron said.

They walked up the hill. Annabeth didn't want to go up the hill. She didn't want to walk through the gate. She didn't want to see everyone's happy faces fade away when they saw Percy. Their favorite hero. Their best friend. Their. . . everything. The only person at camp that hated Percy was Clarisse. . . but that doesn't matter.

Everyone was outside. Some were playing sports, some were tanning, and some were playing tag. It was a beautiful day. At least for now. Tyson say them. He ran up to them. "Why is brother on pony?" he asked.

"Tyson-I-I need to tell you something." Annabeth tried. Tyson ran past her and started poking Percy.

"Percy asleep?" he asked the lifeless body. Chiron just stood there, feeling a bit awkward.

"Tyson-uh-"

"Percy!" Tyson shouted in his ear. "Wake up, brother!"

"Tyson he's dead!" she finally shouted. Everyone stared at her. It was all too much. She didn't mean to shout but she didn't know how to put it to Tyson. Tyson quickly backed away from Percy and covered his eyes to hide his tears. Chiron set Percy on the ground. Everyone gasped.

"I hated the little sucker but I-I didn't wanna see him die. . ." Clarisse said, pushing to the front of the crowd that had formed. Some Apollo kids pushed through the crowd with a gurney. They loaded Percy's body onto it.

"Keep him in the infirmary for a while. For me?" Annabeth asked one of the Apollo kids. He nodded. Annabeth turned around and Grover was sitting next to Percy playing one of his tunes on his reed pipes. "It's no use, Grover." she told him.

"It was worth a try." He stood up and hugged her. "I'm so sorry Annabeth."

Annabeth had found her car on the side of the road. She was going to Sally's house to tell her about what had happened. A million thoughts rushed through Annabeth's mind. She thought of the design of Percy's shroud. She thought of the arrangement of the funeral. She laughed at her thoughts of Percy. "I'm so sorry Annabeth." Grover had said.

As Annabeth came to a realization she drifted off into the other lane on the road. She was hit head on by another car. Annabeth's head got hit by the steering wheel, but she didn't care. "The empathy link!" she said, like she was nuts. "If Percy's dead, then Grover should be but he's not! Percy's alive. . ."

* * *

"I love you Thalia." Nico said. They were still nose to nose, holding each other.

"I love you too." she giggled. She had never felt this way. So vulnerable. So girly.

* somewhere in the woods of Nevada *

"Kill him." Artemis said to Zendaya, one of her huntresses. Artemis was sitting in her tent. She was watching Thalia from her t.v. "How dare he! How dare her! She took a sacred oath to stay away from boys, let alone kiss them! Ugh. That prince of death will pay. Do whatever it takes. Turn him to a antelope and eat him, as long as he's dead! And let it be none to Thalia that she is now an ex-huntress and a sworn enemy of Artemis."


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so sorry it's short. I'm also sorry it's been such a long time but my computer crashed. Again sorry it's short BUT the next chapter will be really good! I promise!**

* * *

Annabeth's Pov

I held my hands to my forehead making sure I was okay from the crash. At felt something on my hand. I looked at it. Blood. Bloody blood. The only type of blood there is doofis, I told myself. I'm not thinking straight. Not at all. I'm ashamed.

I looked around. A guy with orange hair, a bomber jacket and leather boots stepped out of his car and slammed the door shut. He walked over to me, my back turned to him, and pushed me on the ground. "What the hell do you think you're doing, girly?" he asked me, rudely. I looked at him questioningly. I pulled my tattered yankees cap out of my back pocket and put it on. "What the...?" The man looked around for a moment then started kicking me. He couldn't see me but he could feel me. I could too. He kicked me in the ribs. Then in the legs. Then he started stepping on me. First on my stomach, then on my toes. He kicked me in the shins, then again in the ribs.

I doubled over, clutching my sides. Finally my cap fell off, and through the agonizing pain I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He looked at me one last time, a bit of compassion shining through his eyes. Nope. He bent down and slapped me. Hard. It felt like he had punched me square in the jaw.

He looked at me again. "It's a shame." he said. "The pretty ones always get in the most trouble." He walked over to his car, slammed the door shut again, and drove off, leaving me there in the middle of the road, lying unconscious, probably bleeding to death. But hey, my boyfriend's alive... now if only I can be.

* * *

3rd person's pov

"Hey Zendaya." Thalia said, a while after Nico left and she saw her friend. Zendaya was one of Thalia's fellow huntresses. "What's up?"

"Don't 'what's up?' me." Zendaya said.

"What's the matter?"

"Your out." she snapped.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your out of the huntresses. Artemis saw you kissing that boy. That gods-awful son of Hades."

"I never kissed him!" Thalia lied.

"Don't like Thals. It's not a good habit. But anyways I have orders from Artemis."

"What orders?"

"That's private. Your not a huntress anymore."

"So what if I kissed ONE boy?"

"So what? So WHAT?" Zendaya shouted, dumbfounded. "You swore yourself from all boys. Every single one. That means, f.y.i, that you don't kiss anyone, you don't show any loving emotions to any boy, only friendships! You don't kiss friends!"

"So what are you going to do, Zendaya? Kill me?"

Zendaya raised an eyebrow, smiled vindictively and said, "Not you."


	4. Chapter 4

"Nico!" Thalia screamed. Zendaya had left a while back, walking backwards and glaring at Thalia the whole time. She was now looking for Nico so she could tell him what Zendaya had said. Thalia ran it through her mind again.

"So what are you going to do, Zendaya? Kill me?"

Zendaya raised an eyebrow, smiled vindictively and said, "Not you."

Thalia walked towards Nico's cabin and opened the door, letting herself in. "Hey Thals." Nico said calmly. He wouldn't be calm in a while.

"Artemis hates you and wants you dead." she blurted out at last.

"I'm fine how are-WHAT?"

"She's mad because I-you-we kissed."

"That's bad." he said, standing up.

"I don't know what we are going to do I mean, Percy's already dead and if you die I just- I don't know what I'd do."

"I'm sorry Thalia." Nico said apolagetically. He hugged her tightly.

"I just wish there was a way I could fix this." Thalia admitted.

"You know what?" Nico asked, smiling and pulling away from her. "I think I have a plan."

* * *

Annabeth's eyes fluttered open. The room she was in was white; a pale, clean white. The bed she was laying on was hard and thick but the pillows were soft and there were many of them. She looked around and saw a few machines. A heart monitor, and one of those things that holds up a bag of liquid. If she hadn't had been so weak she would've slapped herself for not knowing what it was called.

Heck, she would've slapped herself for not focusing.

She was in a hospital, she knew that much. She didn't know why but she was there.

Annabeth let out a sob. Percy was dead and she was in the hospital. He was dead, right? For some reason Annabeth wasn't completely sure. Annabeth had forgotten that Percy was actually alive. All Annabeth knew now was that she was in a hospital and she needed to get out.

She yanked all the cords from her body with as much force as the could. Annabeth sat up for a while, trying not to collapse back onto the bed. Then, something happened.

She felt a sharp pain first in her abdomen, then she felt something so horribly painful that she had to bite back a scream. Even though her tounge was bleeding from how hard she was biting back that scream she wasn't really sure she had accomplished anything. She felt like she was screaming, though she couldn't here a sound. She was grabbing fistfuls of hair, screaming, crying and all out of pure misery. She couldn't stop herself. She had so much to let out and she had to do it in one scream.

As hospital nurses came running in, Annabeth collapsed on the ground, unsure, unaware, and not wanting to wake up for a long, long, VERY LONG time.

When Annabeth woke up again her cheeks were wet and she was kicking and screaming. Five nurses were grabbing at her wrists, ankles, and shoulders trying to pin her down. They were all shouting at Annabeth to stop but she still couldn't here anything at all. But when a nurse ran in with a needle and stabbed Annabeth in the upper arm did she finally calm down.

"Now sweetie," A nurse said to Annabeth in a Southern accent. "You've got to calm down."

Annabeth nodded. Her mouth was dry. She moved her lips and tried to make words but it didn't work.

"You were in a car accident. The other driver was so enraged that he . . . he jumped out of the car and he started to beat you, brutely. That was it, though. Nothing else. Someone found on the side of the road and you were bleeding. They called nine-one-one and they brought you here. You are Annabeth Chase. You are 19 years old."

There was something else Annabeth was forgetting. Suddenly she started kicking, screaming, and sobbing again. "What's wrong with you?" A young nurse said quietly in Annabeth's ear. This whole time she had been here, which for the most part she was sleeping, no one had asked what was wrong.

"MY BOYFRIEND IS DEAD!" she balled, cold guilty tears running down her cheecks. "HE'S DEAD! HE DIED PROTECTING ME! IT'S MY FAULT AND I WANT HIM BACK!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Heyy! Finally my computer is fixed! Yay! Sorry it has been so long and sorry if it's short!**

* * *

Annabeth looked around her dull, white, pale, dusty, empty hospital room. There was no color except the old fashioned flower border on the tops of the walls. It didn't really count, though. It was so faded it blended in with white paint.

Boring.

Annabeth sighed. Ever since she woke up and two in the morning, images of Percy's dead body flashed through her mind. She hadn't had anything to drink and her mouth was dry. She couldn't stop crying and now it felt like she had no water left in her body.

She was sad, very, but most of all she was mad. Mad at herself for letting Percy protect her. Mad at Percy for taking that knife. Mad at Chiron for not being able to heal and save him.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She held her breath. Annabeth was done with life. The machine started to beep loudly. She cursed at it but still didn't take a breath.

Nurses rushed in. She shaked her, slapped her cheeks, put an oxygen cup around her mouth but she didn't react. The same young nurse that had asked her what was wrong with her was in the room. Her name was Kaylie, and she was Annabeth's favorite nurse. Annabeth had told her all about Percy. How they were walking along a street after a friend's party when they were attacked and Percy was stabbed while protecting her and bled to death in her arms. Yes, it was a lie but it was closer to the truth then anything else she though of.

Kaylie bent down to Annabeth's level and whispered in her ear, "Percy wouldn't want you to die. Live for him. Be his life. He took that knife for a reason, so you could live."

Annabeth thought about that for a moment before she stopped holding her breath. She exhaled deeply and took a breath, her lungs thanking her.

She breathed heavily as all the nurses sighed in relief. Kaylie stroked Annabeth's cheek and escorted all the nurses out. They tried to argue but Kaylie yelled at them that she could get her dad to fire them and they listened. Before Kaylie left, though, she winked and mouthed, "Don't do anything like that again."

Annabeth nodded.

As soon as Kaylie shut the door behind her and Annabeth closed her eyes to take a nap, a bright gold light flashed in the room. Annabeth sat up and looked at the woman standing in front of her.

Dressed in a white and brown plaid shirt and jeans with greek sandals was her mother, Athena.

"What is wrong with you, Annabeth?" she yelled. "Hold yourself together and get a grip!"

"Ugh." Annabeth moaned.

"I've hated that boy since the day he was concieved but I know Percy wouldn't want you do die!"

"I know. That's what the nurse said."

"And I tell Poseidon everyday how thankful I am that Percy saved you and how sorry I am that he had to die! Do you want to disgrace Percy by throwing the life that he protected with his OWN away?"

"NO MOM! I don't! I feel terrible that Percy died for me and your not making me feel any better! I wish he wouldn't have died for me!"

Athena's face fell. "Annabeth-I-"

She watched her daughter begin to cry. Athena sat beside her on her hospital bed and hugged her, stroking her blonde and gray curls. "I'm sorry Annabeth but think of your friends. Think about Thalia, Nico, and Grover. They've already lost one friend, don't make them lose another."

Then Annabeth knew it. She remembered.

Grover. Percy's death had something to do with Grover.

"This is bad," Nico said, pacing around his cabin. Thalia was sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce on the floor. "This is really really bad."

"Yeah I know." she scoffed. "We need to think of something . . . we need a plan."

"What if I like fake died?"

"Wouldn't work." Thalia said plainly. "Artemis would figure it out."

"Well what if I suggested myself to be her slave?"

"Hmm. That could work."

"No!" Nico exclaimed. "I was trying to lighten the mood."

"This isn't the time for that!" she yelled.

"I'M SORRY!" Nico stopped for a while. "What if we convinced Artemis that our kiss was a mistake? That I'm intrested in Rachel and I accidently that you were her. I'll say I was high or something. That's what she expects of me."

"No." Thalia said. "We can't hurt Rachel like that."

"Well it's either hurt Rachel or SEVERLY hurt ME." Nico said, emphasizing severly.

"Okay . . . but at some point Rachel will figure it out."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."


	6. Chapter 6

"What did Grover have to do with Percy's death?" Annabeth asked herself.

"Hmm?" Kaylie asked her, not looking up from Annabeth's arm. She was testing her blood pressure.

"Nothing." Annabeth said quickly. "Just . . . thinking."

"If something is wrong you can tell me."

"I just have this notion that mine and Percy's best friend has something to do with Percy's murder." Annabeth's eyebrows knitted themselves together.

"Do you think he set it up?" Kaylie asked, looking at her deeply. Her eyes bored into Annabeth like she knew what it felt like.

"No. Of course not. I feel almost like-like he should be dead too."

"Do you mean in a bad way?"

"No no." she insisted. "Like he had some sort of connection to Percy."

"Don't worry," Kaylie comforted her. "You'll remeber soon enough. By then it'll be time for you to go home."

"I'll have to plan Percy's funeral. Tell his mom and his dad. Well his dad probably already knows." Kaylie sniffled and Annabeth saw a tear roll down her cheek. "What's the matter?"

"My boyfriend was killed too. He was in a bank and this man came in and just started shooting. He ordered everyone on the ground. The man left the room and my boyfriend thought he had enough time to call the police. The man came back and he saw him on the phone and shot him. I walked into the bank and there he was. On the floor, dying. I ran in and the man pointed his gun at me. I told him I didn't care what he did to me. I told him I could open the safe because I had worked there before and he said it didn't matter anymore. He ran out and one of the other people in the bank called 911. I just layed there with him. His blood was on the floor and it was started to get on to me but I didn't mind. I layed my ear on his chest where his heart was. I heard it beat and I heard it stop."

"I'm so sorry. When was it?"

"Just a week before you came here. It was almost like we had an empathy link. . . like I could feel all the pain he was feeling."

Her face lit up and a million things ran through Annabeth's head as she processed the two words Kaylie had spoken. "Empathy link."

* * *

"Uh. . .Hi Rachel." Nico said. Rachel was sitting on the beach, trying to sketch out something to paint. Thalia was hiding behind the bushes making sure her and Nico's plan was going right.

"Oh hi Nico." she replied, not looking up from her busy hands.

"I was wondering if maybe. . ." He dragged his foot through the sand and looked at Thalia.

"Go on idiot!" she mouthed. Nico turned back around. "Do you want to maybe. . . I mean if your over my cousin. . ."

"I was never into your cousin!" she lied.

"Okay. Sure. Whatever."

"Besides he picked Annabeth and he's dead now."

"Nice to know your taking it so easily."

"I am very sad! Now are you going to ask me that question of yours or not?"

"Do you want to go out with me?" Nico asked her.

Rachel tipped all her art supplies off her lap and onto the sand. "Really?" She ran up to Nico and jumped up and down.

"Yeah...really." Nico assured her.

"How about about a picnic tomorrow!"

"Yeah...sounds great."

"Wait," she said raising an eyebrow. "Is this a trick."

"No. . ." Nico tried not to look into her eyes. "Of course not."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notice : No more Thalico. I'm tired of getting crappy reviews about how impossible that is. It's getting on my nerves and it makes me feel sucky so it's done. Sorry for you who enjoyed it. So just Percabeth.**

* * *

"Get me out of here." Annabeth ordered. She began to pull the cords from herself but Kaylie stuck them back on. "He's not dead! I know he's not!"

"Annabeth your just in denial!"

"No I'm not!" Annabeth stopped. "Look I know my boyfriend isn't dead. I'm absolutely sure. I know this is going to sound stupid but my boyfriend and his friend had an-" Her eyebrow's knitted together as Kaylie sat foward and the neckline of her shirt slid down a bit, showing her necklace.

On Kaylie's neck was a choker necklace with clay beads wrapped all the way around it. What looked like the newest bead had a blue trident carved into it. "You. . ."

"What?" Kaylie asked.

"Your a half blood." Kaylie glanced down at her necklace. She quickly tucked it back under her shirt. "No, don't worry." Annabeth assured her. "I'm one too."

"Oh." Kaylie looked dumbfounded. "Was your boyfriend-"

"Yes. Him and his friend had an empathy link. Our friend is still alive, so Percy still is but he's unconsious so I have to tell eveyone and correct everything and I don't-"

"Annabeth!" Kaylie said, laying her hands on her shoulders. "I get it."

"Was YOUR boyfriend a-"

"No." she looked down. "He was a mortal. The exception to the mist. I left camp to be with him and I didn't go back after he died." Annabeth looked into Kaylie's eyes when she lifted her head. They were stormy gray.

"Are you a Daughter of Athena?"

"Yeah. You are too right."

"Yes. Will you. . ."

"Of course Annabeth. Go ahead and leave. I'll check you out."

The two of them jumped up and ran out of the dingey hospital room. Annabeth ran past Kaylie, hoping her butt was hanging out of the dress. When Annabeth reached the elevator, she aggressively pressed the down button. The doors open and she aggressively pressed the close door button, not waiting for the man screaming "HOLD THAT PLEASE!"

The annoying music started to play as the elevator began it's disent. "What do you think your doing?" a familiar voice said. Annabeth couphed and waved the mix of gold and pink sparkly dust out of her face.

"Mom? Aphrodite?" Annabeth asked. surprised the two goddesses were at the same place at the same time. Athena was wearing a grey t-shirt and jeans with an owl necklace. Her hair was in a pony tail to her side. Aphrodite, on the other hand, was wearing a long purple silk dress with lace accents. She was wearing gold jewelry and diamond earrings. Her hair hung down her back. She was wearing a gold laurel head band and her bangs were tucked behind her ears. "What are you doing here?"

"Wondering why your leaving." Athena said, folding her arms across her chest.

"Percy's alive." Annabeth answered. "I'm going to see him. He's probably still unconsious."

"Curses." she said under her breath.

"Yay!" Aphrodite exclaimed. "I always knew you two would be together forever. And it's a good thing I came."

"Why did you come?"

"She was ranting to me about her-"

"Oh forget that." Aphrodite cut in. "We have more important things to think about now."

"Like what?" Annabeth asked, a little confused.

"Well you can't go see your dead boyfriend who really isn't dead in a ratty old hospital dress. I mean look at the pattern, and your butt hangs out! That might be attractive in a more personal setting,"

"Aphrodite!" Annabeth and her mother yelled at the same time.

"Alright, alright," Aphrodite waved her hands in the air, brushing the awkward subject away. "What do you want to wear?"

"Clothes," Annabeth said, hoping that was obvious. After Aphrodite's remark she wasn't quite sure it was.

"Of course silly." Aphrodite snapped her fingers. Annabeth was instantly surrounded by sparkly pink dust. When the dust dissolved, she looked at herself in the elevator's mirror-like walls. She was wearing purple eyeliner an grey eyeshadow. Her lips were a rosy pink color. Her hair was up in a bun and she was wearing jewelry almost like Aphrodite's. Annabeth was wearing a short, cream coloured dress with lace embroidery.

"I look like a pastry." Annabeth complained.

"You look gorgeous!"

"Aphrodite stop fooling around," Athena ordered. "Just put her in her normal clothes." She pouted for a moment, then snapped her fingers again, less excitedly. Annabeth appeared in jeans, a side pony tail, grey converse, no makeup, no jewelry, and her yankees cap in her back pocket. She looked down at her shirt. It was a purple and grey plaid blouse.

"I couldn't resist." Aphrodite smiled.

Athena and Annabeth let it slide. When the elevator stopped Annabeth ran out, calling "Bye." as Aphrodite and her mother poofed away. As she ran outside, she saw the sign of the hospital. 'Long Island Hospital'.

Annabeth ran out to the streets and called for a passing cab. She jumped inside. "Where to miss?" the man asked.

"Farm Road. Just let me out at the hill."

"Alright miss," The man looked a little confused.

"I'm a hiker."

"Oh."

As the man started driving, Annabeth leaned back in her seat. She was relieved knowing that the huge weight of Percy's death was off her shoulders.

* * *

**Sorry It was short. Please review. I'm thinking about writing a new story. It'll be about all the demigods, not a particular couple. It'll have a little OC in it. She won't be the main but still a big part.**


	8. Chapter 8

Annabeth ran up Half Blood Hill as fast as she could. Her calves ached as she tried to forget how steep the hill was. She stood in front of the gate and watched as the letters moved around, shifted shapes, and morfed into something she actually understood. "I'm coming, Percy," she said to herself.

Camp seemed empty. It felt like everyone had just . . . left. No one was in the courts or training. There was no sounds at all. No clashing of blades, screaming of kids, laughter. There was just . . . **nothing. **

Annabeth burst into the infirmary, panting. "Percy?" her voice echoed. No one was there. She scanned the room for Percy's body. He was gone.

_Maybe he already woke up and they're celebrating or playing a prank on me, _she thought. _I'll check the big house._

Annabeth ran out of the infirmary. The paint on the big house was faded from the sun. Chiron had mentioned having the year 'round kids re-painting it this summer. He didn't mention paying them, though.

_Note to self, do not stay over the summer. No matter how much Percy begs. _

Annabeth remembered telling herself that when Chiron asked her if she was leaving this summer . . . and then mentioned painting. Percy had thought it would be a cute idea for both of them to stay the summer. Go to the beach and just be lazy. Yeah, right.

_Focus Annabeth, _she yelled at herself.

No one was on the deck. She even checked around back where Mr. D and Chiron's card games took place. Annabeth tried to avoid the satyr droppings as she crept over to the table. Underneath a stack of cards, she could see a slight piece of an envelope. She pulled it out and took the card out of the envelope.

It read :

**It's a sad day when we lose one of our own. When we lose a great hero, everyone is greiving. **

**Please join us as we say goodbye to Perceus Adam Jackson. **

**On August 28, 2011 we will say our last words to him. **

Annabeth threw the card on the floor and ran across the deck, tears streaming down her cheeks. She jumped off the five steps of the deck and landed on the ground, not stopping her sprint. She ran towards the beach but something stopped her. A fire was dying down at the pit in the middle of the cabins. She walked close to it and bent down in front of it. She could see part of Percy's silk burial cloth. It showed his full name, birth date, and death date.

_Why didn't they do this at the amphitheater?_

_**FOCUS ANNABETH! **_

She ran to the beach and stopped as soon as her feet hit the sand. A huge crowd of campers, all dressed in black, stood at the edge of shore. Annabeth could hear the sniffles and crying. She looked on past them. They were all watching a wooden boat float across the water. There was a body inside and it was on fire. They were burning Percy's body.

"What are you doing?" Annabeth screamed. They all turned around to look at her. "I tould you to wait! I said that I would plan everything!"

"He looked so terrible, Annabeth." Chiron said.

"You could've told me that you were going to do this! Does his mother even know?"

"Miss," Annabeth heard. "Miss!"

Annabeth's eyes fluttered open. "Miss, we've arrived." The taxi driver said.

"Oh, um, thank you." Annabeth answered, shooken up by her dream. She paid the man, got out of the taxi, and watched as he drove away.

_That couldn't have actually happened, could it? I mean, I know demigod dreams happen for reasons and they're usually right but this can't be right. **Run, Annabeth!**_

Annabeth started to run up the hill, realizing it wasn't as steep as it was in her dream. _Stupid over-exaggerated dreams._

She ran through the gate and into camp, not wasting a minute. She went straight to the infirmary. "Percy?"

"He's still here, Annnabeth." Marcus answered. He was a son of Apollo and the best medic at camp.

"He's alive." Annabeth told him, walking to Percy and sitting beside him.

"Annabeth he-"

"I know he is, Marcus. Percy kept the empathy link between him and Grover. Grover was still alive when we brought Percy to camp. Even though he's unconsious, he's still alive."

"Annabeth," Marcus said, looking at his feet. "We've haven't seen Grover in days. We've been searching all over the place."

"You don't think,"

"That Grover could be lying dead somewhere? We've been trying not to."

"But that's not possible."

"What if the empathy link has a delayed effect?"

"We have to find Grover," Annabeth commanded. "Fast."

* * *

**What will happen? Gasp!**

**So anyways, I have a new story up. Please review it because I need to know if I should continue or not. It's called "The Modern Life and Times of a Demigod".**

**(:**


	9. Chapter 9

Annabeth and Marcus ran in perfect harmony. Annabeth felt different running with Marcus than when she did with Percy. He was quite fit. Not that Percy wasn't, it's just that Percy would always drag behind her panting and begging her to stop.

"Come on Percy!" she'd demand.

"Annabeth - can't we - just - oh gods." and that was usually when he fainted. Annabeth began to focus on something else. Flowers, things like that.

_Not girly stuff, Annabeth, _she ordered herself.

"There he is," Marcus declared.

_Oh yes, we were looking for Chiron, _

"Good," Annabeth replied, picking up her pace to fit in with Marcus.

"Chiron!" he called.

"Marcus, Annabeth! Hello. Nice to see you back, Annabeth." His tone changed. "How did Percy's mother react to the saddening news?"

"I didn't speak with her. I didn't even go to see her."

"Where have you been then?"

"The hospital. Now-"

"The hospital? My, what happened?"

"Chiron this is important," Marcus cut in.

"Really?" he held his hand to his chin, pondering this. He was acting strange.

"Chiron," Annabeth started. "Percy isn't dead, so you don't need to act like that. You don't need to pretend like nothing hasn't happened."

"Percy is . . . dead."

"No, he's not," Marcus said, "He never removed the empathy link with Grover. Grover should be dead."

"Marcus, Annabeth, we haven't heard from Grover in a month."

_Was I really gone that long? _Annabeth asked herself.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"We sent him out to find a demigod we've been keeping track on and we made sure he had numerous ways to keep in touch. We haven't gotten an Iris message, telegram, fax, email, letter from pigeon, letter from hawk, phonecall. Nothing."

"Letters from birds?" Marcus asked.

"Getting off subject!" Annabeth barked, slapping his fore-arm.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth." Chiron said. "I don't think I can give you any more information that will help." And with that, he left.

Annabeth and Marcus's mouths were wide open. "What is the matter with him?" Annabeth exclaimed.

"Everyone's a bit distressed."

"That doesn't give him a right to withhold information!"

"What information, Annabeth? There's nothing we can do but find Grover!"

"Then that's what we'll do. We can't tell anyone else, though. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. Especially not mine."

Annabeth walked away to her cabin. "Annabeth, wait!"

She didn't turn back. She ignored all the 'Hi Annabeth's' and all the pity looks. She opened the door to her cabin and everyone left, probably thinking she was going to cry. Annabeth didn't plan on that, but letting a few tears go wouldn't hurt. She slid down the door and hit her hand against the cold wood floor. She stood again and slid all her blueprints off her desk. None of them were worth anything until she got Percy back or at least found Grover alive.

She walked out of her cabin and to Percy's. She pulled her key out of her pocket. The one he had given her on the two yeear anniversery.

Flashback Time!

_"If I ever need you, act funny, or am in trouble . . . use this." Percy took her hand and enclosed the blue swirly key in her hand. He kissed Annabeth's closed hand._

_"Your key?"_

_"A spare. If I gave you **my **key I wouldn't be able to get into my cabin. If you ever get lonely in the middle of the night . . ."_

_"Percy . . ." she raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips._

_"I was just going to say we can kanoodle." He smiled at her._

Flashback Time Over! (Cue the aw's from the crowd)

She slid the key into the lock and turned it all the way clockwise. It clicked and she turned the knob, pushing the door open. The waterfall was still running and Percy's little pond was still sparkling.

It's Flashback Time Again!

_"Look, Annabeth," Percy said, bending down beside the pond. She followed him and gazed into the irridecent pond, the noises of the waterfall in the background. "I got Koi Fish."_

_"How will you ever remember to feed them?" she asked._

_"I've got a whole gallon of food!" his young voice exclaimed._

_"That doesn't matter. You have to remember to put the food in the water."_

_"I will."_

_"What if your gone?"_

_"Annabeth I got these fish to impress you! . . . and to teach them tricks. Hehe."_

Flashback Over. . . aw!

"Hi there Cuddles." she said to the lone fish. "I don't know why Percy calls you that. What tricks can you do?"

The fish blew bubbles to the surface and looked at her like "What do you think I am, chick?"

"Your a fish, aren't you."

Cudddles gave her a "You think?" look.

"Fish can't do tricks, can they?"

Cuddles gave her a "I'M A FRICKEN FISH!" look.

"Fish can't do tricks!" she exclaimed, dipping her finger into the water. "What was that silly Percy thinking?"

Cuddles gave her a "I don't know. I honestly don't know what that kid thinks."

"I wonder if since Percy and you are kinda of like, I don't know, fish brains?"

Cuddles gave her a "Watch it, sista," look.

"I mean, since he's a son of Poseidon and your obviously a fish, can you communicate."

_Oh Poseidon, I hope not. _Cuddles thought. He looked at Annabeth longingly. _Food?_

Annabeth grabbed the can of food off of Percy's bedside table and threw a few pinches in. In return, Cuddles went to the bottom of his pond, picked a golden drachma up into his mouth, and brought it to the surface for Annabeth.

"Oh! I never even thought of-wait. Chiron said they've tried Iris messaging Grover."

Cuddles gave her a "Give it a go, kid." look.

"Fine." She threw the drachma in the air and Cuddles splash some water with his tail. "Oh Iris, except my offering. I would like to speak with Grover the Satyr." Annabeth stood back and waited. Instead of Grover, she saw Iris herself!

"I'm sorry," Iris said, head tilting to the side apollogetically. "No connection available right now. Though, you have a new voicemail! If you would like to see it, nod." Annabeth nodded slightly. "Oh, more than that, child!" Annabeth nodded vigorously, curls bouncing into her face. "Alrighty then!"

Suddenly Grover came on. "Um-I-" He sounded like he was about ready to pass out. "I need to-I can't finish-I feel-" And with that the message went fuzzy, and the last thing Annabeth saw was Grover passing out on March 21st. The day Percy died.


	10. Chapter 10

**This is all in Annabeth's P.O.V. I might write more of this story like this. I put a lot of effort into this one. Please read and review.**

* * *

Someone nudges me awake. It's just Marcus. I had fallen asleep in Percy's cabin, my hand in the water. Cuddles is nibbling on my finger. Marcus hands me my pack. Has he snuck into my cabin and packed my clothes? "They're empty, Annabeth." he says like he's read my mind.

"Oh," I say, sitting up. "I sent an Iris Message to Grover. I couldn't get through, but there was a voicemail. It was him and-uh-He was passing out."

"When was it?" he asks.

"March 21st," I was going to tell him the signifigance, but his nod told me he already knew.

"We can't suspect anything, yet. Go get packed. I told Chiron we were leaving today."

I get up and leave the cabin with Marcus. He walks me to my cabin. As we walk, I actually begin to notice him. His pale, olive skin, red-ish lips, beautiful blonde hair, deep navy blue eyes. He's good looking, to be honest. But even if Percy really was dead, he would be my last choice. Everyone would be my last choice. No one could replace Percy. Maybe if he was dead, he'd be in the Elysium. Maybe if I died in warfare I could meet him there. I wouldn't cause my own death, though. Never. Actions like that don't deserve Elysium.

I think of the last time I saw Thalia and Nico. They walked into Percy's cabin last night, not expecting to see me . . .

_"Oh, hi," Nico said. "We were just,"_

_"It's okay," I replied._

_"Do you need us to leave you?" Thalia asked._

_"No, no," I look down into the pool. "Percy wasn't mine. He was everyone's."_

_"He was more yours than anyone." Nico commented. "We know about his empathy link and all."_

_"Do you believe me?" I asked._

_"Of course we do, Annabeth," Thalia insists, but I could hear negativity in her voice. "We're just not as sure as you are."_

_"Do you think he's dead?"_

_"No," Nico spreads his hands. "We just aren't going to get our hopes up."_

Before I know it, I zip up my pack and sling it over my shoulder. I walk to the door, not daring to meet his gaze. I don't know why he's coming. Maybe because he's cared for Percy. I can't say we were close friends. Clarisse could be a better quest partner, though I'm not sure you could call this a quest. I must say, though, that Marcus and Percy and I have had our times. Once, during a special game of capture the flag, we made an alliance. The game lasted for a week. Five flags for each team, hidden throughout the woods. Everyone was fighting to the death. Many campers were wounded. All were healed and are still here to this day. There were a few casualties, though. Percy, myself, and Marcus made an alliance. He swore if we got hurt he could heal us. In the end, we won.

I consider going to see Tyson. I should have a long time ago. People say he's been in the arena all this time with Mrs. O'Leary, trying to keep her occupied while Percy is away.

I have to go tell him. "I'm going to stop and speak with Tyson," I say.

"You should," he says. "He was in the infirmary a few times and asked me to update him whenever possible. He couldn't bare seeing Percy like that." Marcus's words don't make me feel better. I walk into the arena, leaving him at the door.

"Do you want stick?" Tyson asks Mrs. O'Leary. She barks loudly. Tyson flings his arm, throwing the stick far into the other side of the arena.

"Hey Tyson." I say in a sheepish tone.

"Hi Annabeth," he smiles and waves. He then runs up to me and pulls me into a hug. "How is brother?"

"He's good," I lie, feeling a tear fall onto my shoulder and some coming to my own eyes. "We're going to find Grover. He and Percy had an empathy link. Long story short, Grover's been missing and Marcus and I are going to find him. If we find him alive, Percy is. If not,"

"I understand," He pulls away and wipes tears from his eye with the back of his hand. "Just find Grover,"

"I'll try my hardest to bring him back but I can't make any promises. Tyson you know what this could mean, right?"

"Yes," I can see the sadness in his eye.

"I have to go now," I say, wiping tears from my eyes. My throat feels dry and my heart empty.

"Be safe," Tyson says. I nod sadly. I turn slowly on my heels, then turn back. I run to Mrs. O'Leary and hug her. She nudges me sadly and whimpers quietly.

"I know," I whisper. "I know."

And with that, I leave. I walk straight out of the arena, not waiting for Marcus or even acknowledging that he's still there. My trip into the arena has made me feel even more terrible than before. Marcus could have dropped dead and I wouldn't know. I feel miserable, like the life has been kicked out of me. I feel the way I did when the man beat me.

I recall the dream I had in Percy's cabin.

_There he was, sitting in Elysium, as peaceful as ever. He has a sketchpad out, as if he ever drew. I was there in Elysium with him. He was terribly pale. I sit beside him and look at the sketch pad. It's me. An older version of me. I was standing up. Only my torso and up was visible. He drew me looking down at my torso, so peaceful looking, so happy. My hand was on my swollen belly._

_"Where are you?" I ask._

_"I haven't drawn myself yet," he says. His voice is so distant. It sounds so unfamiliar and I realize I haven't heard it in months. "There's so much detail I have to put into you. There's so many little things. If I miss one, the drawing will be messed up. And so will the future."_

_"Percy," I scoot closer to him. "If you mess up on a drawing, it's not going to affect our future."_

_"You don't know that, Annabeth!" he almost screams. "This has to be perfect, just like you." His voice returns to normal and I realize that this is what's keeping him asleep and unconsious. Maybe this drawing has something to do with everything. Maybe his self-consious won't let him return to normal until he finishes the drawing of the two of us and our unborn child. If he makes one mistake, he might just stay in that infirmary forever. Not dead, but still not alive . . ._


	11. Chapter 11 Final Chapter

Marcus and I scan the ground carefully as we walk passed the borders of camp. "Marcus," I say, stopping at the bottom of Half-Blood Hill and looking at him.

"What, Annabeth?"

"Look at that," I point at a bush. "What is that?"

"It looks like a . . ." He looks at me with a look of horror. He runs over to the bushes and pulls them apart. I can't help but scream. My life is over. It might as well be. "It's Grover. He's been shot." I run to his side.

"No, no, no." I lift Grover's head and listen to his heartbeat. There isn't one. "Grover, please! Please don't die on me! You can't! Please!" At this instant, I'm not thinking of just Percy. I want Grover to live. He's one of my best friends. He's the reason I found camp. I wouldn't be here without him. I wouldn't have Percy without him. He has to be alive because I wouldn't be without him. I can't lose him and Percy at the same time!

"I'm sorry, Annabeth." Marcus says. "We're too late. He's been here for at least a day. Percy was alive, but then Grover was shot, and now both of them are gone."

"Who would want to shoot Grover?"

"Anyone. Some stupid gangster kid who has no appreciation for life and only cares about money. Some idiot who went out hunting and mistook Grover for a deer or something. Anyone." Tears are rapidly rolling down my cheeks now.

"C'mon," I say, standing and turning away. I can't look at Grover's lifeless body. "Let's get him into camp. I'll have to call Percy's mom." I hear Marcus pick up Grover. I walk past the borders, almost hoping a monster would jump out and be rid of me before I crossed. I don't want to call Sally. I don't want to see Sally. I don't want to burn Percy's shroud. I don't want to burn Grover's shroud. I don't want to do anything but force all of my brothers and sisters out of my cabin, crawl into a ball, and cuddle with the stuffed owl Percy gave me eight months ago. It was our five year anniversary.

***Flashback***

_I opened the door and there he was. Percy stood awkwardly on my cabin porch, arms behind his back. I smile at him._

_"What's the matter?" I asked._

_"I suck at wrapping." he mumbled. I didn't understand what he said until he thrust a mess of silver wrapping paper at me. "Happy Anniversary." He smiled at me. I walked over to my bunk and he followed me, sitting beside me. "Carefully now," he said as I traced my fingers over the slippery paper. "Save the paper."_

_"My step-mom used to say that all the time. That way we can use the paper as thank you cards." I ripped the paper as hard as I could. "It's perfect!" I said, hugging the small owl. "I love it!" I looked at the little blue ribbon the owl had around its neck. On the ribbon, in gold embroidery, was: Forever and Always, Wise Girl. Love, Seaweed Brain._

_Percy smiled at me. I kissed his cheek. "Meet me on the beach after the sing-along. I'll give you my present then."_

***Flashback Over***

**One Month Later.**

As Chiron finishes his speech about Percy and Grover, I feel like I have been ripped apart. I feel like everyone is staring at me, their pity pooring over me and drowning me. I hold the stuffed owl close to my chest. It still smells of sea-salt and sunshine and rain. It still smells like Percy. I try not to cry. I'm not the crying type, and I know Percy would say that crying wouldn't solve anything. Maybe it would make me feel better? No. Crying never does anything but drain your body of water that it could use later on. Yes. That's reasonable.

Even after thinking up that smart answer (which is becoming hard with all the stress) I can't help but let a few tears escape the barriers of my tear-ducts and trickle down my cheeks. The tears fall onto the small owl with a small noise that sounds extremely loud in all the silence.

It takes me a while, but I open my eyes. Everyone is looking straight at me.

"Annabeth?" Chiron asks, as if he is repeating it. "Would you like to say your words now?" I nod slightly. Thalia, who sits beside me, stands with me and hugs me. Nico, who sits beside Thalia, does the same, but lingers longer.

"Don't ever doubt he loved you." Nico whispers. "Don't ever hold back because of him. Don't ever blame yourself." These words jerk tears from my eyes. I pull away from Nico and give him my owl. At this moment I realize how much Percy and Nico look alike. Their hair is a different shade and so are their eyes, but they are, without a doubt, cousins. Their facial structure and featuress scream that they are family.

I slowly walk to the podium. I wipe the tears from my eyes and realize that there has been a overwhelming flow of them. I turn to face my fellow demigods. I take a deep breath and look to Thalia and Nico for support since Sally isn't here. Sally and I agreed to give Percy a formal funeral in the city where she, Paul, and anyone else that wanted to say their last words to him. We'll lay his body to rest in a small cemetary in a secret forest Percy discovered when he was ten, roaming the outskirts of New York.

Percy used to tell me that the forest was his sanctuary. That he was the only one who knew about it. That the small cemetary was where Sally's parents were burried.

***Flashback***

_Percy and I walked through the forest. The sun was high above us, but the usual cool breeze danced through the air. Nothing moved in the forest except for Percy and me. The sound of the rushing water of the stream could have literally lulled Percy to sleep._

_Upon resting by the stream, Percy and I found a small cave beyond a pair of thick bushes. We crept inside, eyes full of curiosity like two kids on Christmas. I ran my hand along the cool stone wall._

_"Our little secret, huh, Annabeth?" he asked me, a playful smile making its way across his face. I looked at him and smiled. "I had a place like this back in New York. Not a cave, but a peaceful place just like this. A place where it was only you and the world. It was a forest on the edge of an old blocked off alleyway. I always went back there. I packed a lunch and I would just sit against trees. Different ones everyday, too. This one day, though, I found a cemetary. I started walking through it and I saw these two names: Allyn and Camston Jackson. They were my grand-parents, the ones that died in a plane crash. Sometimes I would just lie by them and talk with them . . . Does that sound creepy?" I had to blink to snap myself out of Percy's story._

_"It sounds . . . sweet." I said, hugging him._

***Flashback Over***

As I look across the campers, I realize Tyson isn't there. Then I remember Poseidon ordered him to sea. Poseidon didn't want Tyson to see us burn Percy's shroud. He said, also, he didn't want Tyson to be at Percy's funeral in New York. It's a bit unfair, but I suppose I understand.

"Percy was brave, Grover was brave, but that's not why we loved them. We loved them because they were goofy and funny and heroic and a lot of other things. Everyone knows that death is an enormous part of a demigod's life. I mean it follows us everywhere. But we don't take it for granite, and we don't take someone's life if not for a good reason. It's too precious. The way Percy and Grover died, was not brave. It was terrible. Their lives were ripped out of their hands, out of themselves. It's not how it should have gone. But we can't look at it like that. We have to think of the life they lived, the things they did for us, and the ways the help us."

I look out out the campers. Juniper sits with Katie. Juniper weeps silently, her tears glistening and looking thick like sap (which it probably is). Travis and Connor sit beside them. Travis and Katie hold eachother's hands tightly. So tight, even, that I think I see their knuckles growing white.

I look towards Thalia and Nico. Thalia has her head leaned on Nico's shoulder. I take in the moment, the only moment when they aren't fighting. Thalia told me that her and Nico were going to start being more, as she said, caring towards one another. Thalia is crying, the first time I've ever seen her cry so hysterically. Nico has his eyes closed, his mouth stretched into a flat line, and I know he's trying to avoid crying.

"As we burn their shrouds," I say, holding my chin high. "Let us remember them in the best way." I manage to smile at my fellow campers, a sort of sign to say everything's okay. They all smile and nod back to me.

I step down from the podium. Katie rushes Juniper out of her seat. Juniper hands me a small brown shroud with the words Grover Reed Underwood embroidered in green. Slowly, Clarisse stands from where she sits. In her hands she carefully holds a small blue cloth. It is carefully embroidered with the words Perseus Adam Jackson in gold. I smile, tears falling, because I was honestly expecting the ugliest shroud ever created.

"Clarisse," I say, looking at her tear-filled eyes.

"I may have hated the kid," she says, sniffling. "But I never _hated_ him."

* * *

**Before you go saying, "You heartless person, you! How dare you kill Percy!" I just want to say I cried writing this so I'm not heartless.(: And I just thought I'd kill Percy because not everything in life is happy. Goodbye.**


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